Can a fungus be intelligent?
It can find the most efficient root from A to B. It can create poisons, hallucinogens and attractive scents. It can fruit into mushrooms and spread its spores by creating air convection with its gills. It can create zombie ants. It can get millions of termites to feed and tend it. Ants too. It can send messages chemically and electrically between plants and between its different parts. Some fungi have a plethora - thousands - of different 'genders'.
Fungi can be trained to decompose radioactive waste, plastic, toxins, cigarette butts.
They can be eaten and used for medicine.
They can be used to start fires. the Ice Man was carrying one fungal species as tinder and another as medicine.
They can protect bees from verroa mites.
They form symbiotic relationships and trading relationships.
They can be vast or microscopic.
They can be made into bricks, stools, fabrics, packaging, houses. In fact, it seems you could 'grow' houses. And they would after use be broken down as compost.
It's not surprising that there are claims that fungi could save the world. They've been here so many millions of years - and may be able to survive in space.
Makes you wonder if they are this planet's intelligent life.
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